


still will we be the children of the heather and the wind

by ForestAgain



Series: Children of the Heather and the Wind [1]
Category: 17776: What Football Will Look Like in the Future - Jon Bois, 20020: The Future of College Football - Jon Bois
Genre: Gen, Human AU, Letters, Mentions of Death, Minor Character Death, Multimedia, Orphans AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27176396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForestAgain/pseuds/ForestAgain
Summary: The Pioneer siblings are far away in the literal sense.
Relationships: Nine & Ten & Juice (17776)
Series: Children of the Heather and the Wind [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2004847
Comments: 89
Kudos: 45





	1. Clockwork

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Robert Louis Stevenson.

Hello, Ten.

I don’t actually know why I’m writing these letters. It’s not like I’ve ever gotten a response or anything.

I don’t blame you, though. You’re probably getting tossed around from foster home to foster home just as often as I do, so the letters must simply not be reaching you in the first place. 

I don’t even know why I keep calling you Ten. Nobody here calls me Nine anymore. 

It’s silly, isn’t it? How it happened. The other kids were calling us Nine and Ten because we were new, and it was easier to identify us by the numbers on our sports jacket instead of our actual names. Because, let’s face it, they knew that we’re probably going to get transferred somewhere else in a couple of weeks, like so many before us, so there was no point in learning what we’re really called. 

We stuck with it, though, didn’t we? 

I heard back in the 19th century, they used to do that too. Assign numbers to children, that is. 

  


I mean, why even bother with a proper name, right? Chances are, the kid is going to die from the workload or poor living conditions anyway. 

I wonder if you would have survived in a 19th century workhouse. 

  


I obviously wouldn't. Duh.

I mean, I don’t even know if I’m going to survive another month here. The docs aren’t telling me anything. 

Why are they doing that? Just because I’m a kid doesn’t mean I’m dumb. 

I’m not really afraid of death. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking forward to the experience, either. But I know it’s out there. Always has been. Hiding just around the corner. 

As cynical as it sounds, you get used to death eventually if you see it happen often enough. 

Remember little Oppy? 

Man, she was the best. 

I still think about her all the time. 

I think about you all the time, too. 

I miss you. 

Please respond. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story continues tomorrow.
> 
> Yes, the next installments will also be this short.
> 
> Yes, the spaces between paragraphs are supposed to be that big.
> 
> No, I don't know what I'm doing here.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	2. Chance

Hello, Nine.

I really hope this is the right address. Things have been really hectic this last couple of weeks, so it is possible they’ve moved you to another location already. I know I am soon going to be on the move myself. 

And, you know how I am about these things. I’ve lost my hopes twelve interviews ago. At this point it would be easier to just wait until I’m at a legal age and try forge a life of my own.

But, Nine… I think this family might be the one. 

Her name is Nancy, she’s a single parent. She has already raised a daughter of her own - she’s moved out and opened a general store somewhere - and is now taking care of another adopted kid. Can’t remember his name. Starts with a J. 

And maybe I’m expecting too much, but… it just feels different, somehow, from all the other interviews.

She told me she flew in a tornado once. And with any other adult I would think this is just a make-believe tale, invented solely to patronize me.

But when she said it, and looked at me, I realized she wasn’t kidding.

So I’m having my fingers crossed.

I asked her if she could find you. She said she will try.

I know I was being selfish there. Here is a potential parent, willing to adopt a troubled adolescent with multiple mental health issues, and the first thing I do is immediately ask for another kid to be adopted alongside me.

I know, I should be better that this. But Nine… it won’t be the same without you. 

Even if I get along with Nancy and J okay, there’s still going to be a part of me that would not feel right about this. 

It’s not fair, you know. 

I finally get a chance of having a good life, and I have to spend it without you. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story updates... today, hopefully, to make up for the delay on this chapter.
> 
> I promise it's not going to be all sad!!!


	3. Music

Hello, Ten.

It’s Nine again with another pointless letter.

How are you today? How are you in general? Hopefully wherever you are, they’re treating you well.

I’m doing alright myself. They gave me a new wheelchair the other day. The only difference is, it’s approximately .00000000000347% less cranky than the old one. But you know what? I’ll take it.

Maybe I’ll even put some stickers on it.

There was a party here tonight. Don’t remember what for - maybe one of the benefactors’ birthdays? - but it doesn’t really matter.

I fell asleep mid-way so I missed all the more crazy parts, but I did manage to catch a glimpse of the night’s stars.

The Voyager brothers.

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of them, but they’re a big deal in here. Hyugens has a poster of them on their wall. Got it signed, even. And Juno says they’re too mainstream for her tastes, but I saw her at the concert, and just from the way she looked at them… let’s say, she’s a fan as well, even if she doesn’t admit it. 

But yeah, I can’t say I get them, per se, but they certainly did put on a show. They’re doing this thing called the Grand Tour, so they’re travelling from orphan home to orphan home, to introduce the new generation to music or something. Maybe they’ll visit yours, too.

I asked them to say hi to you, if they ever meet you.

I hope they do.

Meet you, that is.

Music is a strange thing, isn’t it? There are so many different styles and genres, yet in general, I’d say that it’s one of the few things that unifies humanity as a whole.

I mean, look at the Voyagers. They’ve been doing the tour for a while now, travelling around the country, and in every single place they’ve been, they found some kind of emotional response to their music.

Unless, you know, they don’t actually give a shit about the fans and are just doing this for publicity. ‘Hey, look, we care about the orphans, now give us money so we can buy more sunglasses and high-waist jeans!’

But even if that’s the case, their music still speaks to people. And people who aren’t Voyager fans usually have other favourites. Curie is crazy about will.i. am. You know about me and Steely Dan.

I hope, wherever you are, there is music.

Wouldn’t be the same without it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story continues tomorrow, hopefully. As always, thanks for reading.


	4. Renovations

Hello again, Nine.

I have contacted the last place I’ve seen you, and they’ve confirmed that you do no longer live with them. They also don’t have any idea where you were transferred to. So… that’s that.

I’m going to continue writing these letters though. It helps, somehow.

Oh, I’ve moved to my new home recently! Still feels weird to say.

It is very, very big. I expected there to be like twenty people there, but no, Nancy said it’s just going to be her and me and Juice in here.

Oh yeah, Juice. 

I still don’t know his real name. He insists that everybody is calling him Juice, and refuses to explain why. I’m sure he’s just trolling me, but until I get a look at his documents or something, I’ll have to keep calling him Juice.

He’s…

You would have probably found him scary at first. He’s huge, he’s all over the place, and when he talks it’s like turning on a TV that transmits fifty different channels at once. 

He can certainly be… an experience.

But he’s also very smart and considerate. He showed me how to play Mortal Kombat yesterday. I’ve never played Mortal Kombat before.

Actually, when was the last time I played anything? I don’t remember.

I recall that I’ve played checkers with you once. That was fun.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I was not playing to lose on that day. You were just that good.

I would still like a rematch, though.

Juice also said he’d help me decorate my room if I want to. His own room is a mess. I have no idea why he needs so many different items on hand, nor how he managed to place them in the room without them falling over every second. But it really is impressive, once you start to get the hang of it. 

You can probably survive a zombie apocalypse with just Juice’s room. He has it all. You need a pencil? Juice got your back. You hungry? There’s a whole breakfast buffet with twenty different kinds of Lunchables. You need a New Zealand dollar coin for your coin collection, a sick skateboard, a real bird skeleton? Juice has you covered. And somehow, he knows exactly where everything is.

My room is very dull in comparison. There’s a bed, a bedside table, a desk, a wardrobe…. nothing else, actually. I don’t even know what I want to put in there. It’s not like I’ve owned that many things before.

So it feels a bit empty for now. The whole house does, really. It’s nice but… it’s too big for just the three of us.

Maybe if you come home, you will be just enough to fill in this emptiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story continues soon. As always, thanks for reading.


	5. Image

Hello, Ten. Again.

It hasn’t actually been that long since the last letter. I dunno, I just felt like writing another one today. Sharing some more stuff with you. Or, rather, the metaphorical version of you, the one I’ve made up from past memories and assumptions of you, the one that is probably very different from the person you are now.

When I think of the possibility of seeing you again, that part scares me a bit, actually. I have no idea how your life and personality has changed since the last time I saw you. Maybe you have an undercut now. Maybe you’re super cynical now. Maybe you don’t even remember me anymore.

Whatever. There’s no use dwelling on these things. 

Except that’s all I’m doing these days.

I was thinking about Oppy again.

I guess what other people expect me to think is,

“I wish I knew this is the last conversation we’re ever going to get. I wish I could say goodbye” 

But in reality, I don’t think it would have changed anything.

Me and Oppy weren’t exactly best friends. Not even what you’d call good friends. She was always with Curie and Sev, and I had my big sister, of course. But we acknowledged each other, and were generally aware of what the other was capable of.

We were like two coworkers from different departments, never really crossing paths except for lunchtime or the rare office party, but always knowing the other will be there.

Except, well, she’s not there anymore.

I knew of her condition, and she knew of mine. Neither of us were sarcastic or talkative enough to tell jokes or make bets about which one of us dies first, but we both knew it was coming. It was an integral part of our lives. Wake up, have breakfast, brush your teeth, acknowledge death, go to class. The usual routine.

So it wasn’t a surprise when I heard. People expect me to feel sad about these things, but I accepted the fact quite easily. 

I mean, what would I ever say, if I knew this was our last conversation? What would she say? 

The metaphorical image of her in my mind was complete. So was her image of me. No words exchanged would have improved on those images even a little bit.

And yet… I can’t say I don’t miss her.

I didn’t realize this at first, but something changed within me when Oppy passed away.

Something changed within me when you left, too.

Emotions are very confusing. I don’t know if words like ‘sadness’, or ‘longing’, or ‘grief’ describe it accurately. 

The best way I can put it…

It is simply the sense that something is terribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite everything, the story continues. Thanks for reading, as always.


	6. Tissues

Sometimes I am really glad you aren’t reading these letters, Nine.

Sometimes I am glad you can’t see me.

Nancy… She’s a godsend, really.

She can’t spend too much time with us, cause of her football career and all, but she’s made sure we have everything we need. The house is big and comfortable, the food always tastes good, the local school is nice and friendly. 

We’re even going to attend a wedding fairly soon! Mr Baez and Mr Navarro are good friends of Nancy’s, and they have kindly invited us to come. Nancy is going to take me and Juice shopping next Sunday to get our dresses for the occasion. 

It’s going to be exciting. At least, I think I should be excited for this one. I should be happy. And yet… I’m not.

Nancy has started to search, as promised. No luck so far. And I’m not losing hope yet, but… My therapist tells me I should be preparing myself for the possibility that we won’t find you. Or, that it would be too late.

I know, realistically, that I should just accept that, and move on with the wonderful life I was given. But I… 

God damn it, Nine, I’m such a mess now. 

...I’m going to get some tissues.

heeeeey there little fella how you doing

haha jk i know you can’t really respond. or read this, really

sorry to interrupt your sister, if she finds out i messed with her letter writing she’s going to be so mad

but i just wanted to tell you, just in case you do get to read these

ten cares about you a whole lot. ya know that, right?

ever since she arrived she won’t stop talking about you. it’s almost overwhelming sometimes. but it’s not like we have much else to do so i don’t mind

she told me all about the jackets and your school achievements and even that one time you passed out during a football game and went super mad about the scores afterwards. sorry about that one btw i think your sister went a bit tmi on that one lol. also sorry you didn’t get to see that game, god bless reruns i suppose

point is

ten loves you almost as much as i love making the lunchables chronicles. _almost_

oh shit she hasn’t told you about the lunchables chronicles did she

it’s a bulletin board paper im releasing here in the pioneer-mcgunnell household. each month we’re looking at a new specimen of the greatest kids’ snack franchise to have ever existed. this month’s special is-

Juice? Juice, what are you doing over there?

oh shit

oh shit i think she’s onto me

gtg

see ya later buckethead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gee, ForestAgain, how come mom lets you have _two_ updates in one day? 
> 
> Story continues eventually. I must have said thank you for reading a thousand times now, but it doesn't make it any less genuine. I truly do appreciate it.


	7. Library

They're doing interviews again today.

Knowing the way my body works, I'll probably doze off in a corner before the thing even starts. But even if that wasn't the case, I'm not really interested. I mean, it's not like I'll ever get a chance.

Instead, I’ve decided to go to the library again.

That's one of the perks of being moved from establishment to establishment so often - at least you never run out of books to read.

I've been checking out lots of nonfiction stuff lately. History, psychology, engineering, sports - you name it. 

There isn't really a system to it, I just take what I can get my hands on. Riz the librarian has even let me stay overnight a few times, even though that's against the rules. 

I don't know why I'm so obsessed with knowledge.

I don't have any school projects related to what I'm reading. I'm not doing any specific research, and I don't really have a goal.

I just can't stop learning. It's like a hunger that never goes away. I have to keep plunging into one field of science after another, consuming hundreds upon thousands of facts, theories, experiments and data. No matter what. 

When I tried to learn about the different ways people express their affection, I was confused about a lot of that stuff. It can be hard for me to notice when people act nicely towards me, and I also have difficulty showing kindness.

But I know people recognize it when you listen to them. And I like listening to people. So I became really good at listening, and just learning stuff from others in general.

Maybe that’s why I like books so much. By reading a book, you can show your appreciation to its author - a person who you would have probably never met in any other circumstances. It’s a silent, secret, sacred connection.

I know I don’t have much time left. I will never become a scientist, or an artist, or be able to leave any kind of significant impact on the world. 

But I would at least love to experience as much of this world as possible, even if indirectly. To understand the people that-

nine! here you are! thought i'd find you here

whatcha doin

Um.

...I suppose you could call it a personal project.

ah nerd stuff

gotcha

listen you HAVE GOT to come and see this

apparently a real NFL player is here for an interview!!!1!

...What? That's nonsense, Curie. Why would a top-tier football player come for an interview?

i dunno sev told me

and you know. it's sev

they won't lie just like that

I think they may be messing with you.

no they're not

besides i saw her too

im telling you, it’s the tornado lady!!! you can check for yourself

...Okay. Give me a minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story continues... and slowly drags itself to its end. Just one chapter left after this one, folks! Thank you for staying with me on the ride. As always, all support is greatly appreciated.


	8. Miracle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _It's hard to be a normal person  
>  That's just not me  
> I'm writing a journal  
> To keep my feelings hiding_

I think this is going to be the longest forty minutes of my life.

There are two possibilities. Either that person on file is you, or... they are not.

I wish I could know. I wish I could look at the file and see your familiar face. Or maybe a complete stranger's face. Even if it's not you, at least I would know that for sure. It's the uncertainty that is eating me alive.

So Nancy is off to find out. She should be back in about forty minutes. Then I'll know my answer.

God, why does this have to be so difficult? 

When it seemed impossible to ever find a trace of you, I couldn't let go of the hope. I kept looking. But now, where there's an actual non zero chance of me reuniting with my long lost sibling, I am suddenly hesitant.

Dare I hope now? If this is a mistake, it'll hurt even more if I give in to wishful thinking now. 

But you know what? The universe has been cruel to me for long enough. I think I deserve a little selfishness. I deserve to have it all.

I want to make up tenfold for every single day I've had to spend without you. 

I want to make breakfast for you every morning, and lose at checkers every time, and cut your hair when it grows all over your eyes again. I want to listen to you as you read stories aloud, as your eyes cling tightly to the page where mine wander off. 

I want to have a life with you.

Please. Why can’t I just have that?

hey there

*sniff*

...Oh. Hi, Juice.

how's my favourite sister doing

You only have the one sister.

my question still stands

Well, I'm… okay, for the most part, I think.

Very nervous about all this, though.

understandable

just know that no matter what happens, your pal Juice will always be there for you with a fresh box of lunchables hot pockets

wait shit

i just spoiled you the next edition of the lunchables chronicles

oops

it's all well though, at least i didn't tell you about the lunchables philly subs yet

I hate you so, so much. You know that, right?

...But also, thanks. I don't know what for exactly, but… thanks.

no problem

feel free to submit any following questions and/or suggestions for future episodes of lunchables chronicles at thelunchableschronicles@grnail.com

shit

ten. ten, look!

wait shit

the car's pulling in!

...This is it, then.

The moment of truth.

c'mon sis no need to be shaking

it'll be alright

wonder what took nancy so long though

oh

oh ten?

What?

...i think there's someone else in the car with her.

That's impossible!

i'm telling ya

kind of hard to see who it is yet

I mean. Even in the best case scenario, there are documents to be collected, forms to be signed… You can't just take a random kid and bring them to your home like that! There are procedures to be followed.

i don't think nancy is the kind of person to care about "procedures"

hmm it's still pretty hard to see

here come have a look

is it them

i mean

Wow. The house is much more… rustic than I expected.

Get used to it, buddy.

i mean the hair certainly looks similar to yours

...ten?

<Sounds of rushed footsteps.>

Ten? Oh my god. Ten!

NINE!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Across the bridge  
>  What would I see?  
> Wanna see it  
> Dreaming my dreams  
> Miracles, beautiful, here we go  
> [All the way](https://youtu.be/jsNm1LQUrXM)_
> 
> And this is it! Thank you so, so much once again for reading this, and for your great support. It's been a real journey.


End file.
